Tour a Contemporary London Home Full of Light and Garden Views
See and read how an architect on Houzz dramatically brightened once-dark spaces to create an airy contemporary home
When the owners of this Victorian home in south London asked architect Francesco Pierazzi to help them gain extra space without spending a fortune, he immediately got to work researching the area for opportunities. He looked through maps and photography and found there had previously been a lean-to construction attached to the building, which meant a full-width addition would be permitted. His clients were so happy with his plans that they asked him to help with the rest of their house renovation.
The ground floor of this home has now been transformed into a modern, open-plan space, with garden views as soon as you walk through the front door. A modern staircase with glass risers leads to the second floor, where two rooms have been opened up to create a large bedroom, dressing room and en suite for the couple.
The ground floor of this home has now been transformed into a modern, open-plan space, with garden views as soon as you walk through the front door. A modern staircase with glass risers leads to the second floor, where two rooms have been opened up to create a large bedroom, dressing room and en suite for the couple.
Behind the staircase is a large open-plan kitchen-dining area, which is also connected to the living room at the front of the property.
The kitchen area is dominated by a large island, with storage on both sides and a quartz countertop in a matching dark tone. A marble backsplash sits above clean white base units, while a chunky white shelf disguises the range hood. At the back of the space, tall custom cabinets in a darker tone act as a backdrop to the rest of the kitchen.
Deep red steel beams form a cross and match those on the addition’s exterior elevation, which you can see in a later photo.
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The kitchen area is dominated by a large island, with storage on both sides and a quartz countertop in a matching dark tone. A marble backsplash sits above clean white base units, while a chunky white shelf disguises the range hood. At the back of the space, tall custom cabinets in a darker tone act as a backdrop to the rest of the kitchen.
Deep red steel beams form a cross and match those on the addition’s exterior elevation, which you can see in a later photo.
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The back of the addition has large sliding glass doors. Francesco created a pocket cavity in the bulkhead where roller blinds can be concealed during the day and then pulled down for privacy in the evening.
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The glass wraps around the side of the addition to provide a diagonal view of the trees in the garden. Two skylights bring light into the center of the room. One can be seen in this image and another is perpendicular to this above the informal seating area.
To comply with regulations, the addition next to the boundary needed to be lower than the rest of the space. The steel cross marks the difference between these two areas.
The couple wanted to bring a textured feature wall into the space, so Francesco looked at ways to do this architecturally without the use of wallpaper. The solution was to use tadelakt, a polished lime-based plaster that Francesco had come across years before in a Moroccan hotel. “It’s beautiful, natural and velvety to the touch,” he says.
The soft texture contrasts with the concrete floorboards and adds a warm feel to the space. Three simple pendants above the dining table add a cozy glow to the wall without obstructing the view from the living room.
The soft texture contrasts with the concrete floorboards and adds a warm feel to the space. Three simple pendants above the dining table add a cozy glow to the wall without obstructing the view from the living room.
Three steps lead up to the living room, reducing the ceiling height from 13 feet to just under 10 feet. White walls mark the transition from the new part of the house to the original front room, while a large ledge straddles the two areas.
Browse a collection of products that bring the outdoors in
Browse a collection of products that bring the outdoors in
Francesco lined the fireplace cavity with tadelakt and added recessed LED lighting to the adjacent alcove.
To the right of the staircase is a generous powder room with storage. The team took this opportunity to add a surprise of color, covering the walls, ceiling and cabinetry in bright yellow paint. “I like to use color like spices in food to highlight different rooms,” Francesco says.
Wall, ceiling and cabinetry paint: Mister David, Little Greene
Wall, ceiling and cabinetry paint: Mister David, Little Greene
Two rooms on the second floor have been opened up to create a large bedroom, dressing room and en suite for the couple. One of the doors was then closed up, so Francesco created a mirrored recess as a nod to the original layout.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
The couple’s suite is divided by a clever pod in the middle of the room. Inside the tadelakt-covered box is a dressing room, a toilet and a shower. The structure doesn’t reach the ceiling, so a couple of steel beams were installed for support.
At the front of the space is the bedroom zone, with a fireplace cavity on the wall lined with the same chocolate brown tadelakt as the box. A bedside table is attached to the pod and has a bright red niche for storing books.
At the front of the space is the bedroom zone, with a fireplace cavity on the wall lined with the same chocolate brown tadelakt as the box. A bedside table is attached to the pod and has a bright red niche for storing books.
At the back of the pod is a vanity and bath, while doors on either side of the pod allow double access to the toilet and shower. The dressing room is at the bedroom end of the pod.
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Watch now: Go inside this light and airy home on Houzz TV
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A family
Location: South London
Size: Five bedrooms and four bathrooms
Architect: Francesco Pierazzi of Francesco Pierazzi Architects
The hallway of this double-fronted Victorian villa is at the center of the home and splits the original and new parts of the building in half. The public rooms to the right of the entrance remain untouched, while the area on the left has been transformed into a modern open-plan space.
A wood staircase with fire regulation-compliant glass risers ensures there’s a clear view from the front door to the yard at the back of the house. In front of this, Francesco designed a concealed hinged fire door, which swings shut to block off the area in the event of a fire.
Watch now: Go inside this light and airy home on Houzz TV